Drawing from experience managing the social media presence of the UH choral department and a high school choral program, this presentation emphasizes the importance of an active and engaging online presence for choral programs. It aims to provide practical insights into utilizing social media effectively and gives tips and tricks on how to actually get it all set up and running. The presentation begins by addressing common hesitations about social media use in choral programs before delving into the significance of social media, supported by data from the Pew Research Center. The data reveals trends in teen and adult social media usage, emphasizing platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook.
Acknowledging the pivotal role of social media in connecting teens is crucial, and by giving opportunity to various social media platforms, we can facilitate communication and support within our choral programs. Included are insights from studies on the impact of social media towards the overall well-being of students, the positive effects of online engagement, and how it assists in combating loneliness and fostering connections.
Practical guidance is provided on content creation, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and quality over perfection. We’ll walk through why certain platforms have been chosen over others, and how the use of Meta Business Suite will connect and streamline your posts across Facebook and Instagram. Attendees are encouraged to explore features such as stories, posts, and highlights on both platforms.
Useful resources are shared, including Meta for platform connection, Google Drive for content collaboration, Canva for easy design templates, and Chat GPT for generating engaging captions. A pre-made calendar including an entire school year of social media post ideas and scheduling suggestions tailored for choral programs is included as a take away from this presentation.
In summary, this presentation provides a comprehensive guide to leveraging social media for choral programs, emphasizing practical strategies, data-driven insights, and student-centered approaches. Through engaging content creation and platform utilization, choral directors can enhance their programs’ visibility and impact in the digital age.
